UM Student Earns Fulbright Scholarship to Teach English in Belarus

May 14, 2015

MISSOULA – University of Montana graduate Brinna Boettger recently learned she will travel to Belarus to teach English at the end of the summer.

Boettger, a Russian and English major from Lewistown, earned a prestigious English Teaching Assistant Fulbright Scholarship, which places recent college graduates and young professionals overseas as English teaching assistants in primary, secondary schools or universities overseas.

“We are incredibly proud of Brinna and she will make a wonderful Fulbrighter and represent UM, Montana and the United States very well,” said Clint Walker, UM associate professor of Russian.

The program aims to improve foreign students’ English language abilities and knowledge of the United States while increasing the U.S. student’s own language skills and knowledge of the host country.

“I am very honored to have received the Fulbright Scholarship and to have the opportunity to represent the United States and Montana in Belarus,” Boettger said. “I am looking forward to broadening my understanding of Slavic culture and the Russian language while imparting my knowledge of American culture and the English language.”

Before departing for Belarus, Boettger will attend a pre-departure orientation in Washington, D.C., and will serve as a teaching assistant for nine months. While working in Belarus, Boettger also will work on a supplementary project.

“For my supplementary project, I proposed developing the role of service animals in Belarus,” Boettger said.